A South Jersey woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for accidentally suffocating her 6-month-old son to death while drunk, authorities announced Wednesday.
Michelle Stanton, 29, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in September. She was sentenced Tuesday in Cape May County.
Stanton was sitting on a bed at her Lower Township home on June 25, 2023, when she passed out with her baby son, Christian, in her arms, investigators said.
Christian’s grandfather arrived at the house and found the baby unresponsive and wedged between the mattress and the wall, cops said. The boy was rushed to a local hospital but pronounced dead.
An autopsy determined Christian died from asphyxia as his torso was trapped between the mattress and wall, according to authorities.
Before falling asleep, Stanton allegedly consumed between 12 and 14 miniature “airplane” bottles of vodka. Five hours after Christian’s death, her blood-alcohol level was still 0.148, or nearly twice the legal limit, investigators said. Officers later searched Stanton’s home and found 99 more “airplane” bottles of vodka.
Stanton was indicted in August on manslaughter and child endangerment charges and pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in September, though her agreement recommended a sentence in line with third-degree manslaughter.
She must serve at least three years and four months of her sentence under New Jersey law.
